CE NEWS
May 20, 2019
by Public Library Coordinator on 2019-05-20T11:39:00-08:00 | 0 Comments
Table of Contents
Alaska State Library is one of eighteen state library agencies selected to receive resources, training, and support through NASA@ My Library
Out of This World NASA STEM Workshop
The NASA STEM Workshop, a grant partnership between the Alaska State Library, the Anchorage Public Library and the STAR Net/Space Science Institute that was held at the Loussac Library on April 12-13, 2019 for library staff who lead Summer Reading Programs was an absolute blast! This hands-on STEM workshop was led by Brooks Mitchell and Keliann LeConte, two STAR Net/Space Science Institute educator coordinators who have been traveling around the country leading NASA@ My Library STEM workshops for public library staff in order to improve science literacy and inspire next generation of scientists and engineers. This year’s statewide summer reading theme is A Universe of Stories and the NASA STEM Workshop which utilized and emphasized the freely available space themed STEM activities from the STEM Activity Clearinghouse was a perfect way to encourage librarians to incorporate these fun hands-on and occasionally slightly messy activities into their summer reading program. The NASA STEM Workshop also modeled collaboration and partnerships by including presentations by Alaska Cooperative Extension staff, and two NASA Solar System Ambassadors.
Touchdown activity from the STEM Activity Clearinghouse
My favorite activities during the workshop were an engineering challenge called Touchdown and the Daytime Astronomy and Solar Viewing. During the Touchdown activity small groups worked together to design and create a shock-absorbing system that would protect two “astronauts” (two small marshmallows placed in plastic cup) from flying out when they landed. It was fascinating to watch groups move through the process of brainstorming, collaborating, creating and testing their different shock-absorbing designs. Some groups nailed the design on their first attempt and their “astronauts” remained safely in their cup. While other groups, such as the one I was a part, had to work through a series of design iterations. The Daytime Astronomy and Solar Viewing activity was facilitated by NASA Solar System Ambassadors, Aaron Slonecker and Tim Taber. After a brief presentation on NASA’s Solar System Ambassador Program, we went outside and viewed the sun using solar eclipse glasses and a telescope with a special filter for viewing the sun.
Twenty-nine library staff registered for the NASA STEM Workshop. The Alaska State Library provided twelve $500.00 NASA STEM travel grants to ensure that librarians from across the state were able to participate in this workshop. During the workshop, several of the participants shared how grateful they were to be able to take part in this day and half-long training and for the opportunity to network with other youth services librarians and library staff who provide summer reading programs. The NASA STEM Workshop was wonderful reminder that learning about science can be a fun, engaging and joyful experience.
Congratulations to the 2019 SLICE Graduates!
A week of rainy weather in Juneau couldn’t dampen the enthusiasm of the participants of the Small Library Institute of Continuing Education workshop. During the first two days of the workshop, Leadership Consultant Catherine McHugh taught the group of dedicated and passionate rural Library Directors how to lead with emotional intelligence and provided them with opportunities to practice emotional self-awareness and self-management. She also introduced participants to affect theory, the ladder of inference and emotional contagion. The final two days of the workshop were spent introducing participants to the differences between leading and managing, how the Library Leadership and Management Association (LLAMA)’s 14 leadership competencies are incorporated into the job of a library director, strategies for communicating the value of the public library and the steps involved in project management. Over the course of the workshop, participants completed a community assessment, created infographics using data from their Alaska Public Library Report to create infographics and gave a presentation about their library. At the conclusion of the workshop, these rural library leaders were ready to go back to their communities and put everything they had learned into practice.
2019 SLICE Graduates
Julie Buzby, Debbie Carlson, Sue Crew, Sandy Curtis, Yvonne Drozdowicz-somfleth, Jen Gardner, Tona Hanson, Angela Matthews, Candace Nielsen, Janice Wyland
A great big thank you to the following people for their support during SLICE.
Daniel Cornwall and Clint Carlson for their technical computer assistance, Tracy Swaim for his excellent presentation on creating infographics, Amber Glen and Emily Carrillo for their assistance with the catering and building access, Amy Carney for creating the 2019 SLICE logo and SLICE certificates and Jodi Jacques for her cheerful financial assistance with the grant. I also want to thank staff at the Driftwood Hotel for their excellent customer service and the staff at the Breeze In for their delicious catered meals. A special thank you goes to Sheila Ring, the Library Director at the Martin Monsen Regional Library who graciously served as a Co-Presenter and Mentor during the SLICE workshop.
Emotional Intelligence Resources & Library Trends Resources
Below are some resources that were shared during the Small Library Institute of Continuing Education
- TedTalk-The Gift and Power of Emotional Courage by Susan David
- Toolbox: Social Emotional Learning Curriculum for K-6 Students
- The Center for the Future of Libraries
- Issues and Trends in the State of America's Libraries Report 2019
Summer Reading Resources
- Multimedia Resources from STARNet
- Spaced themed posters, infographics and more
- See the latest from Mars! Videos and daily raw images from the Curiosity Rover
- Reading the Moon: a family-friendly reading created by the Bell Museum
May CE Calendar
A calendar of scheduled training events, workshops and webinars of interest to librarians in Alaska
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